Apparatus for electroperforating irregularly shaped articles



Jan. 16,` 1951 1W. MEAKER 2,538,578

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPERF'ORATING IRREGULARLY SHAPED ARTICLES Filed Oct.25, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 $3 IN1/EN TOR.

l BY

Jan. 16, 1951 MEAKER APPARATUS PoR ELECTROPRRFORATING IRREGULARLY SHAPEDARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 001'.. 25, 1946 INVENTOR dwf/v M//754//5/12 llllllllllllllllllllIHN 'Illlllllli lllllllllllllll PatentedJan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FORELECTROPERFORATING IRREGULARLY SHAPED ARTICLES John W. Meaker, New York,N. Y. Application october 25, 1946, serial No. 105,784

This invention relates to improvements in an electro-perforating machineand more particularly to an apparatus I'or electro-perforatingirregularly shaped objects suchV as hats, shoes, etc;

The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theIollowing description and the accompanylngdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View in section along the line i-l of Fig. 3 of anelectro-perrorating apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of a portion of the ratus illustrated in Fig. 1;`

Fig. 4 is a plan View of an electrode;

Fig. 5 is a section view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View in partial section of anelectro-perrorating vapparatus embodying the invention and having amodied electrode;

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram illustrated schematically for anelectro-perforating apparatus embodying the invention. y

Throughout the drawings corresponding parts have been designated by likenumerals. Referring to the drawings in detail there is an electrode inthe form of a hat yblock lil which is ngenerally oval shapevto receive ahat II thereon. The hat block I may be made of metal or it may have asurface or portions of the surface capable of conducting an electricalcurrent as the hat block is to serve as an 'electrode in an electricdischarge circuit that will be described in detail hereinafter. f

The hat block I0 is rotatably supported on a base I2 by a shaft I3. Theshaft I3 may be driven by any suitable means. In the apparatusillustrated, the shaft I3 is driven through a worm and wheel geararrangement, indicated generally at I4,/by a motor I ishownin dottedlines in Fig. 1) located inside the base I2.

VA` main velectrode supportv I6 is mounted in spaced relation to the hatform I0 on a swivel base Ilia, that is secured to the base I2'. Thissupport I6 is curved to conform generally to the outline of the hatblock I0. A wire rod I'I, shaped to conform with the support I6, is heldat one end by a bracket I8 secured tothe upper end of support I6 and itsother end is secured to the lower part of the support I6.

A series of individual electrode supporting arms I9 held in spacedrelation by spacers 20 and extending horizontally from the support I6are slidably mounted on the rod I1. The individual electrode arms I9 maybe made of insulating ma- A 8 Claims. (Cl. 219-19) appa.-

,ends thereof.

2 terial with an electrode 2| carried on the fre The electrode 2| may beprovided with a roller 22 or a smooth surface that will contact theoutside of the hat II and be spaced from the hat block electrode I0 bythe thickness of the material to be perforated.

As shown in Fig. 3, a spring 23, surrounding the rod I7, is locatedbetween the bracket I8 and the uppermost individual arm I9. This springresiliently urges the series of individual arms downwardly along the rodI'I so that the bottom arm is held in engagement with a cam followingpush rod 24. The opposite end of the push rod 24 engages with aheart-shaped cam 25 which is driven through gearing, indicated generallyat 21, operated by rotation of the shaft I3 which also rotates the hatform I0. By means of this arrangement the electrodes may be movedvertically or across the vhat II as it is being rotated to coversubstantially` the entire surface of the hat body and crown.

The electrode arms I9 are pivoted on the rod Il and may move about therod as an axis. The upper electrode arms which extend outwardly from therod where it curves into a horizontal position are prevented fromfalling to a vertical position by a curved support 28 positioned beneaththese arms at their inner ends. The curved support 28 is carried by aplate 29 pivotally mounted on the main support IB.

The upper electrode arms I9 each have a curved spring 3B, as shown inFig. 4, located at their inner ends. The springs 30 bear against themain support I6 and resiliently urge the electrodes carried by the armsinto contact with the hat II on the block ID when they are in operatingposition. The lower electrodes Vare similarly urged into resilientengagement with the hat by a at spring 3| secured to the main support I6and which bears against the arms I9.

Thus, the electrode carrying arms are resiliently hinged therebypermitting movement of the arms while maintaining the electrodes carriedby said arms in engagement with the article being treated despitechanges in its contour. Such an arrangement may be readily adapted toengage a set of electrodes with any irregularly shaped articles such asa shoe or the like; l

The main support I6 has an angularly extending handle 32 by means ofwhich it may be rotated on the swivel base IBa so as to move theelectrodes into and out of engagement with the hat II on the hat blockI5. This handle 32 has associated with it a grip operated member 33which is part of the pivoted plate 29 on which the curved support 28 ismounted. When the handle 32 is grasped, the grip member 33 is depressedprior to turning the main support I6. This moves the pivoted plate 29about its pivot and brings the curved support 28 into engagement withthe electrode arms above it to raise them out of engagement with thehat. This permits the electrodes to be brought into or out of operatingposition without interference with the hat II on the hat block IU.

The pivoted plate 29 also carries a downwardly extending rod 34 whichacts as a safety latch. The rod 34 eng-ages With detente Ain the base I2to hold the electrode supporting apparatus in the desired position andis lifted out of such engagement by movement of the plate '29 'when thegripping portion 33 is depressed.

The electrodes 2i carried on the arms I9 are connected electrically toeach other byfwiies 35 and thus in effect constitute a single electrodespaced from the hat block, which constitutes the opposing-electrode, bythe vthickness. of thematerial -ofthe hatwh-ich is to be perforated.

In Fig. 6, a modied form of electrode has-been illustrated which may vbeused in place of the individual electrode arms I9. The apparatus`sil'icwn `in -this `-figure has a modiied electrode in the -iormfof awire screen 436. This wire screen =electro`cle3`6 is held byacu-rvedsupport 31. The curved support 31 is pivotally mounted on the `base f2and has a handle `38 by means of which `lit may `be turned to bring theAfree ends of screen l36 into and out of engagement with the hat II onthe hat block ID. A number of the vertical `wires 3"!! extending acrossthe screen may be 1removed at the end of Athe screen to `permit theAinvdividual horizontal Wires v413 to flex readily in conformingy withthe shape of the object passing beneath them. Such an arrangementprovides -a flexibleelectrode which will readily `adapt itself to andmaintain contact with any irregular shape.

l1n the lapparatus illustrated in iFigure 6,\the motor `:I is'connecteddirectly tothe shaft I-3and the gear arrangement differs slightly fromthat illustrated in the other iigures. In this embodi- 'ment theelectrode '35 is not moved across the material being perforated so'thatcam -25 and its drive are not necessary.

An electrical circuit which may be used rfor operating theelectro-perforating apparatus d'e scribed herein is illustrateddiagrammatically in Fig. Y"7. In this circuit, a transformer 'I isconnected to a sourceof electrical Aenergy S which may be 'the'customary 120 volt 'alternating current. The secondary 'of theAtransformer"T has a winding ratio of approximately 70:1 with theprimary thereof 'and is connected to the electrodes and 2D to supply 'ahigh tension current to said electrodes thereby causing an electricdischarge to pass between said electrodes and through the material beingperforatedeach time the voltage :reaches a breakdown value during its`alternations,

When the electrodes opposing the moving electro'de are connected'together in the manner just described, the discharge will pass betweenthe electrodes `I il and 2li at the point where the dielectric strengthof the material being perforated is lowest.

.Direct current may be used if desired b'yfconnecting the apparatus inthe manner illustrated and described in my copending application SerialN0. 663,322, filed April 19, 1946. When Sucha Y circuit is used theseries of electrodes 2G need not be connected together, 'and in 'suchcase the high tension current will be connected successively to eachelectrode of the series, so that a discharge will occur at any giventime between the electrode so connected and the hat block I0.

The motor I5 which drives the hat block I0 is also connected to thesource of electrical energy S. The operation of the motor I5 may becontrolled by a pair of switches 4I and 42 connected inparallel in themotor circuit. The switch 4I is a push button type of switch Awhich maybe operated manually to initiate operation of the motor. which is driventhrough gearing 44, illustrated in Fig. f6., from'the motor driven shaftI3 permits the micro-switch 42 to close, thus completing the "motorcircuit so that the motor continues to operate after-the 4push buttonswitch 4I is released. The gearing 44 is arranged to permit a number ofrevolutions of the shaft I3 before the cam 43 again opens themiem-switch 42 causing the motor to come tofa halt.

While a-prefexiredfembodiir'nent of lthe invention 'hasbeendescribedeaid:illustrated herein, it `will be obvioustoUthose-slcilled in the-artlthatfvarious changes-and modifications may1loeim'ade` wilthout l departing from 'the scope of *the invention iasfdenedbythe fappendedlelaims.

"I claim:

1. In .an apparatus for fel'eotricallyperforating a hat, thecombination-lof -fa -series fof electr'odes supported in anxe'dposition-relative to and'fcontacting the hat at spaced-points on the-outer surface thereof, resilient `means `urging `said Aelectrodesagainst the outersu'rfaceof the haft,'aro tatable hat lblock of'electrically 'conductivemiterial supporting `the hat "and 'contactingthe ATAinner surface of the hat in opposed relation to the series`series of electrodes 'contact the 'outer 'surface 'of the hat,"sai'dh'at block providing a'n innerfel'efctr'ode c'o'r'nmonto each "ofthe "electrodes of said `oi electrodes 4at Tthetrespective .points Wherethe series of lelectrodes Acontact -theouter surface 'oi the hat, saidhat block providing a'nin'ner electrode commento each of the electrodeso'f said series of :electrodes yin `an electrical dischargecrcuit, meansfor yrotatif-ig the hat-blockendmoving the hat carried vthereon relativetotheseries of electrodes and 4means for passing .an electric dischargecurrentbetween the'hatl'block and "the series of electrodes as the hatis 'being moved relative to the series ofelectrodes. p

-3. In Lan apparatus for electrically perforating a hat, the combinationof a series of electrodes supported ina ixed 4position relative 'to an'dcontacting the hat at spaced ,points on the outer surface thereof. aseries of arms -carrying vsaid electrodes, a support on which said 'armsare resiliently hinged in -`spaced relationto'ea'ch other., saidyringing iresiiienuy urging 'thee1ectrodescarried by said armeLa'ga'ir'fst the outer *surface "or the vhat' and permitting movement"of 'the When the motor is operated,v a cam 43 y arms and the electrodescarried thereby in response to variations in the contour of the hat, arotatable hat block of electrically conductive material supporting thehat and contacting the inner surface of the hat in opposed relation tothe series of electrodes at the respective points where said electrodescontact the outer surface of the hat, said hat block providing an innerelectrode common to each of the electrodes of said series of electrodesin an electrical discharge circuit and means for rotating the hat blockand moving the hat carried thereon relative to the series of electrodes.

4. In an apparatus for electrically perforating a hat, the combinationas defined in claim 3 wherein the support for the arms is pivoted formoving the electrodes carried by said arms between a position where saidelectrodes contact and a position where said electrodes do not contactthe outer surface of the hat and includes means for releasing said armsfrom the iniiuence of the resilient hinging thereof when said support ispivoted to move the electrodes to the position where they do not contactthe outer surface of the hat.

5. In an apparatus for electrically perforating an irregularly shapedarticle having a recess therein, the combination of a series ofelectrodes contacting the article to be perforated at spaced points onthe outer surface thereof, a series of arms carrying said electrodes, asupport on which said arms are resiliently hinged in spaced relation toeach other with the resilient hinging of said arms urging the electrodescarried by the arms against the outer surface of the article to beperforated, said support being pivotally mounted for moving theelectrodes carried by said arms into and out of contact with the outersurface of the article to be perforated, means for releasing said armsfrom the influence of said resilient hinging when said support is movedto a position where said electrodesV are not contacting the surface ofthe article to be perforated, an inner electrode located within thearticle to be perforated and contacting with the inner surface thereof,said inner electrode being opposed to the electrodes of said series ofelectrodes at the respective points where said electrodes contact theouter surface of the article to be perforated and providing an electrodecommon to each of the electrodes of said series of electrodes in anelectrical discharge circuit and means for movingr the inner electrodeand the article to be perforated relative to the series of electrodes.

6. In an apparatus for electrically perfo-rating an irregularly shapedarticle having a recess therein such as a hat, the combination of aseries of electrodes supported in a fixed position relative to thearticle to be perforated and contacte ing with the outer surface thereofat spaced points, resilient means urging said electrodes into contactingengagement with the outer surface of said article, said resilient meanspermitting movement of said electrodes in response to variations in thecontour of the outer surface of the article while maintaining saidelectrodes in contact therewith, an inner electrode of electricallyconductive material located within the article to be perforated, saidinner electrode conforming to and contacting with the inner surface ofthe article to be perforated in opposing relation t0 the series ofelectrodes at the respective points where said series of'electrodescontact the outer surface of the article, said inner and outerelectrodes being connected in an electrical discharge circuit with theinner electrode being common to the series of outer` electrodes in saidcircuit, and means for moving the article with the inner electrodeinside thereof relative to said series of electrodes.

'7. In an apparatus for electrically perforating an irregularly shapedarticle having a recess therein, the combination o-f a series ofelectrodes supported in a fixed position relative to and contacting withthe outer surface of an article at spaced points on said surface,resilient arms supporting said electrodes and maintaining saidelectrodes in contact with the outer surface of said article, saidresilient arms permitting movement of said electrodes in response tovariations in the contour of the outer surface of the article, an innerelectrode of electrically conductive material located within the recessin the article, said inner electrode contacting with the inner surfaceof the article in opposed relation to the series of electrodes and beingmovable independently of the series of electrodes, said series ofelectrodes and said inner electrode being connected in an electricaldischarge circuit capable A of creating an electric arc dischargebetween the series of electrodes and the inner electrode and means formoving the inner electrode and the article relative to said series ofelectrodes.

8. In an apparatus for electrically perforating a hat, the combinationof a series of electrodes supported in a xed position relative to andcontacting the hat at spaced points on the outer surface thereof,resilient means urging said electrodes against the outer surface of thehat, a rotatable hat block of electrically conductive materialsupporting the hat and contacting the inner surface of the hat inopposed relation to the seriesfof electrodes at the respective pointswhere the series of electrodes contact the outer surface of the hat,said hat block providing an inner electrode common to each of theelectrodes of said series of electrodes in an electrical dischargecircuit, means for rotating the hat block and moving the hat carriedthereon relative to the series of electrodes and means controlled bysaid rotating means for interrupting the electrical discharge circuitafter a predetermined number of revolutions of the hat block.

JOHN W. MEAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Wilsey et al Sept. 18, 1945

